Her Smile
by Seras Nova
Summary: The final battle has ended, and an assassin looks for the one thing he believes to have lost.


**Disclaimer: Bioware owns everything.**

Out of everything, he will always remember her smile best.

It was not a beautiful smile. It did not brighten her entire face, nor was it contagious, bringing joy to others. It did not beckon lovers, or win her beauty titles.

No. It was the soft, sweet sadness of it. The peculiar way her lips lifted, flirting dangerously with the rest of her face. The way her eyes flashed for one brief moment, flickering like a wanton flame, then extinguishing quickly, before someone might see.

It was the rarity of that smile he loved. The fact that he managed to glimpse most of them through his keen eyes. He knew she thought it would be a weakness. A weakness to show happiness. And at one time, he would have agreed with her. Smiles are saved for victories, and love making.

But in the midst of the cheers of the winning battle, the glorious defeat of the Archdemon, no one wore a smile.

The dust started to settle, and the remaining darkspawn fled the scene, scampering up and down battlements and walls, mourning their lost god.

He felt himself floating downwards, on his knees. Numbness, like a poison, coursed through his veins. He did not cry out, he did not weep. He stared at the ground, reliving the last few moments in his head, again and again.

* * *

He saw her, bow drawn taut, taking aim at their foe, a determined grimace set upon her features. Her tattoos glistened with sweat. Her legs trembled as she focused, and released the arrow. It whirled in the air, a fiery halo of light, and struck the Archdemon in the eye.

It thrashed and roared tremendously, shaking the ground beneath them. It sputtered, trying to gain its bearings as the rest of its darkspawn protectors desperately lunged out of the way.

It was then he knew what she intended. His mind flashed back to the previous night. He had overheard her talking with Loghain and the other Warden. Their whispered voices spoke of a long held secret, for good reason. He backed away from the door, dumbstruck. The mere fact that there was even a possibility she could die was abhorrent to him. He slipped away quickly, before he could hear another word of it. He slammed the door to the bedroom that was assigned to them, awaiting her, planning to demand she speak to him, and tell him the truth. It was a long time before she came back to the room. She didn't glance at him, just removed her armor in a pile on the floor, and washed her face in the basin. His eyes followed her around the room, like a cat, waiting to pounce.

And she had said nothing to him. Nothing, as she climbed in bed next to him, curling her body around his own, smelling his scent. He wanted to be angry. He wanted to scream until his voice was hoarse. _How dare she make me fall for her? How dare she, just to be gone in an instant? And what, to save a country that had enslaved our people? _

But as her body was pressed to his, her breathing slow and and even on his shoulder, his anger ceased. He bit back a laugh at the absurdity of it all, and looked down at her sleeping face. And there he saw it. The smile. The sweet despair of it, the knowledge that this may be her last night, was etched onto her face. He felt his resolve completely crumble, and this time, he held back tears of anguish, swearing to himself. _She will not die, I will not let her. I cannot let her._

And with those last thoughts he had fallen asleep, his arms securely around her slender frame, a last declaration his lips, _Mi amora._

And now that they were here, this was the moment, where he swore to protect her, swore to see her live another day. But for the first time, the assassin was too slow to catch his prey. As the Archdemon continued to thrash about, he saw her look back at him, sorrow in her eyes. She slowly mouthed the words, "_Emma abelas."_*

And then, as he watched, horrified, she threw her bow to the ground and started running at full speed, grabbing her dual swords from her back. She blew past Wynne and Loghain, startling them. As they watched where her path led, they then shared the same horror-struck look. They saw her leap onto a stone and then, as the dragon regained focus with its one good eye, she lunged herself onto its great head Her daggers barely piercing the scales. The dragon roared again, and attempted to swat her away, like an annoying fly, but she dodged the oncoming strikes and swung her self beneath the beast, dragging her blades through its softer scales, ripping out its throat.

The Archdemon staggered and fell to the ground, dark red blood creeping into every crevice of Fort Drakon. Then, with one more look at her fellow companions, her lover, she sunk her blade into the beast for the final time.

A rush of brilliant white light burst forward, enveloping the Warden, casting her in a glow. Wynne and Loghain gaped at each other, frozen in place.

But not the assassin. He grabbed his daggers and dashed forward, planning to tear her away from the agonizing brightness. His heart thudded in his ears with each step. _Please, mi amora, please don't leave me. Not yet, not like this._

Before he could reach her, there was a great, thunderous BOOM, and he felt himself knocked to the ground, and the world turned black.

* * *

He felt himself come to, with Wynne's wizened face hovering above him, shouting things he could not hear. Every bone, every muscle in his body ached, and for a moment her forgot where he was. Then Loghain's craggy, forlorn face came into view, a grimness settled into place.

As he struggled to his feet, he wildly sought out where the Warden lay. He focused in on the dragon's back, a curled serpent, gashed and bloodied. Before he could move again, he saw it. Right next to the dragon; a small hand, her favorite sword still clutched tight.

And that's when the life when out of him, dropping him to his knees. He sunk into himself, lost in these moments, these last moments of her framed in his mind. He burned with numbness, barely aware of the heavy pat on his shoulder. He assumed it to be Loghain, and through his paralyzed state, recognized a pang of disbelieving gratitude at the his former employer and foe.

Then, he heard shouting. Instead of a panicked cry, the assassin heard Wynne's joyful voice. He looked up to see the old mage sitting next the white hand, grasping it tightly. And it...it was grasping back.

All stillness left his body, as he ran to where they were. He took in Wynne's face. expecting to see worry, but it was in fact hope smoothing her wrinkled brow. As he drew nearer, he heard a soft groan, a sound to make his heart swell.

Her eyes were closed, her body covered in wounds ranging from small cuts, to a deep gash in her side. Wynne had her hands over the more serious of the injuries as he fell once again to his knees in front of her.

Hearing the sound next to her, the Warden's small head turn slightly, and she struggled to open her eyes. Unfocused, she tried to take in the sight of Zevran, face in his hands, kneeling next to her. Her heart fell into her throat, and tears began to run down her cheeks. She made an effort to speak, to tell him once again she was sorry, that she was a coward and couldn't tell him. She wanted to tell him, just in case the damage was too severe, that she loved him, when she couldn't, wouldn't before.

She never got the chance.

The golden elf, took her face into his hands and looked into her eyes. "_Mi amor, mi vida, por favor no me dejes. Mi mundo se acabaría, te amo mi único,"_ *he whispered into her ear. He pressed their foreheads together, his heart beating wildly in his chest, waiting for her to say something. When nothing was spoken, he looked up into her eyes, and saw what he needed to see.

Her smile.

* * *

**A/N: Edited on 4/21 for spelling, grammar and word choice errors.**

_Emma abelas_.= I'm sorry.

_Mi amor, mi vida, por favor no me dejes. Mi mundo se acabaría, te amo mi único=My love, my life, please do not leave me. My world would end, I love you my one and only. _

So while trying to write Chapter 2 to Broken Bonds, this little thought processed in my head. I have just finished my Dalish Elf playthrough, where I saved Loghain and romanced Zevran. I was really annoyed there wasn't a romantic scene at the end, so I added my own. Zevran never tells your Warden he loves your Warden in the game, and I understand why, even when it is implied. My Warden never pushed Zevran, and was extremely practical (hence saving Loghain, which normally I would NEVER do. Thanks to Katdancer2, I also have a new appreciation for Loghain.)

But in my opinion, when your loved one is on the verge of total annilation while trying to save the world, I think they deserve a little declaration of love. Is that so much to ask?

I would love some feed back on this one shot. I may do some more of this couple together, as I enjoyed their romance (even though I think Bioware could have done a wee bit better.)

Read and Review please! :)

-Seras


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